The World Professional Chuckwagon Association’s “tour” finalists have been decided after four days of qualifying runs at the Strathmore Rodeo grounds.
After race meets at Alberta venues in Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, High River, Ponoka, Bonnyville, and Drumheller, the top eight wagon drivers made their way in to Strathmore, to dual it out for the Tour Championship Title.
The top eight included ten times World Champion, Kelly Sutherland of Grande Prairie, Rae Croteau Jr, out of Bonnyville, Alberta, Jason Glass who makes his home in High River, Mark Sutherland who now lives in Okotoks in the off season, Buddy Bensmiller the three times Calgary Stampede Champion from Dewberry, Alberta, current Calgary Stampede Champion, High Sinclair from Grande Prairie, Jerry Bremner from Westerose, Alberta and 2007 Calgary Stampede Champion Luke Tournier who hails from Duck Lake, Saskatchewan.
Four nights of qualifying for the Monday night (August 4th, 2008) championship finals was based on a points race and when the dust had settled and the final penalties were added in, Luke Tournier with his Friends of Heritage Park outfit will be joined by Jerry Bremner at the reigns of the Cancorp Property Group wagon, Hughie Sinclair driving the GeoForce sponsored wagon and Buddy Bensmiller, up in the box of the Ralph’s Motorsports outfit.
Those four drivers wilkl be joined by their chosen outriders as they run in what is commonly known as the Dash For Cash. But there is actually more on the line at Strathmore than just the money.
Each year the WPCA has a tour circuit that is based on the first eight show stops that culminates with a championship round in Strathmore and declares the years championship driver and outriders.
Followjng the tour title race, the 36 wagons involved in the WPCA’s major tour this year move on to race for the World Title in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Red Deer, Alberta and then a season’s ending finale at Northlands Park in Edmonton.
Although a fall circuit in the United States has been talked about for years, there is still no confirmed venues or dates in place. Negotiations to expand the professional chuckwagon racing fraternities activities to their neighbors south of the 49th parallel, continues to be dragged out, with no definitive indications that they are getting any closer to becoming a reality.
